Artificial intelligence (AI) has overtaken cybersecurity as the top concern for state chief information officers (CIOs), according to the National Association of State Chief Information Officers’ (NASCIO) 2026 Top Ten Priorities list, marking the first time in more than a decade that cybersecurity did not hold the No. 1 spot.
The shift of AI to the forefront with cybersecurity taking a second spot, signals some significant changes in both current use of technology and the political forces that could impact it. One reason for seeing the slip of cybersecurity as a number one concern is that over the past few years, both federal and state governments have instituted changes to thwart cybersecurity problems. While issues still exist in the cybersecurity industry, such as keeping sensitive personal data private, the emergence of AI overshadows all other priorities for CIOs throughout the nation.
According to council officials, one reason that AI tops the list is that the many uses have grown rapidly, the potential for use is unknown, and policies for governance across the states have been developing almost as quickly. As a policy issue, the impact on the workforce and the training to adapt to it, along with the ethical and accountability concerns it brings, propel it upward.
Additionally, new federal guidelines may not coexist well with emerging state policies. On Dec. 11, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for a national framework for AI, saying that a patchwork of state laws could complicate compliance and disrupt interstate commerce. The order directs federal agencies to review state AI regulations for potential conflicts.
For state CIOs, this creates a balancing act. They are charged with deploying and governing AI responsibly at the same time that their authority to regulate the technology may be narrowed. Experts are expressing concerns about how oversight, accountability and public trust will be maintained while under federal regulatory restrictions.
Currently, NASCIO assembles two annual lists: Strategies, Policy Issues and Management Processes; and Technologies, Applications and Tools. AI is number one on both lists.
Beyond AI, the rest of the priorities on both lists point in the same general direction. Modernization, digital government, cloud services and application upgrades all signal that states are still working to replace aging systems and make government easier to navigate. At the same time, the continued focus on cybersecurity, identity and access management, data and consolidation shows that protecting information and making technology dollars stretch further remain central concerns.
Looked at together, the two lists suggest AI is part of a larger reset. The strategy and policy priorities define the greatest needs, while the technologies and tools show how states plan to get there. The combination reflects an effort to move forward with accessibility, reliability, and public trust, at a time when technologies are emerging alongside government policies.
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